Improvement in gasometers or gas-holders



, ication:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

JOSEH C. TIFFANY, OF `PORTSllIOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

' IMPROVEMENT INeAsoME'rERs 0R GAS-Heymans.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,172, dated January 21, 1873-.

To all whom t may concern: .i

Beit known that I, 'J osEPH GAPRON TIF- FANY, of Portsmouth, in the county of Rockingham and State of N ew Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gasometer, of which the following is a spec- My invention has for its object to produce a gasometer which is composed essentially of astationary bottom plate `and a movable head or crown, to which are attached iieXible curtains of India rubber, cloth., or other fabric rendered impervious to gas and air. The invention consists in attaching the fabric constituting thecurtain or body of the gasometer tothe bottom plate and movable crown or head by means of annular bands, links, orrods, which compressor clamp the fabric between the ed ges of the plates and said bands for forming'an `air and gas tight joint. The invention also consists in applying to the liexible curtains or bod'yof the gasometer a series of loops or eyes traveling on stationary guide-rods on the receiving-frame for maintaining a true shape of the gasome-ter when expanded by the gas, and for preventing uniform crimping of the same when in a collapsed state. rlhe invention also consists in making the bottom of the gasometer with a concave or corrugated upper surface forming a receptacle for collecting tai` or any condensible matter that may pass the p riders or condensers. The invention also c nsists in applying to said concave bottom a series of rods-or a wire-gauze4 or perforated diaphragms for preventing the curtain or body 'of-thefgasometer when in a collapsed state fromfcoming in contact with th condensed matter Acollected in the concave b ttom.' The invention also consists in the 'employmentof one or more siphon-tubes applied to a concave or corrugated bottom for the escape of the condensed material, and for preventing the entrance of the external atmosphere into the gasposition. The invention alsoconsists in attachin g to thev interior or exterior of the curtain orl body of the gasometer a series of strengthening-hoops for-preventin g an inward or outward collapsing of the curtain so as to retain the form of the gasometer.'

Inv-the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the gasometer, its receiving.

frame, false bottom, convex bottom, and a si phon or trap. Figs. 2 are detached sectional views of the solid and skeleton movable crown or head illustrating` the manner of securing Egma composed of a skeleton-frame with its flexible fabric.

The frame for receiving and sustaining thel gasometer is partially composed of the I base rims A B, forming, in connection with the arms '0, a skeleton-cradle for the reception of the bottom D of the gasometer or receiver. A series of vertical standards, E, with upper and lower bifurcated ends for the reception of the v short projecting arms F on the peripheries of the lower rim 4A and upper rim G comprises `the frame proper, within which the gasouleter' is arranged to rise and fall bygits expansion when lilling and contraction when delivering. The upper rim G is combined with the central rim H and radiating arms I to form a skeleton top, as shown. '.The bottom D of the gasometer is made of a concave or corrugated form in its upper surface, and may in some instances be correspondingly formed on its under surface to fit into the cradle or stationary base A y 'B C. The curtainbr body K of the gasome ter is constructed of India-rubber cloth, paper, or other suitable material rendered impervious to gas, liquid, or air, and the lower and upper edges of the same are respectively secured to the bottom D and movable so id or skeleton crown or head L by means of amping bands or rings M, (made in one ormore parts,) which firmly clamp or compress the fabric to form a tight joint. The peripheriesiof the bottom and movable crown may be corrugated orl serrated, or grooved seats may be provided for receivlg the edges of the fabric, and the clamping mugs "or'bands may be correspondingly shaped and formed to compress the fabric into said seats or corrugated surfaces to produce an air-tight joint. The clamping bands or links are preferably separated or divided, and are provided with -ears or lian ges N for the passage'of tight- "ening-bolts O or other, suitable devices. The

body of the gasometer is generally of a cylindrical shape; but when desired to suit special same result.

av l v realm locations or compartments in which the same is to be placed it is made either of an oval, triangular, square, or polygonal shape. In such instances it is obvious that the concave bottom, crown or movable head, and clamping-bands are correspondingly shaped. For

- strengthening the flexible curtain of the gas- 'ometer, andA for imparting the necessary rigidity to thel same when in a distended state and filled with gas, I a-pply to the interior or exterior surface of the same a series ofA hoops Aor bands, V, which may be of a rectangular, cylindrical, oval, or T- shaped form, as found most expedient for the purpose. The

arrangement ot' the hoops within the flexible' curtain also prevents the same from falling inward or ontw-ard; and, further, they preserve the form of the gasometer as the saine is being expanded by the inflow of gas, and

prevent a regular uniform crimping when contracted by the discharge of the same. The

'suitable manner, but preferably by a surrounding ba'nd of vvulcanized rubber, which may itself be formed with the loops or eyes. To the rim or elevated portion of the bottom l) is attached a diaphragm or false bottom, It, of wire-gauze. Perforated metal or parallel rods may be resorted to for accomplishing the Between said diaphragm or plate and the concave or corrugated bottom AD is formed a receptacle or chamber for the reception of tar or other con densible material, which, by its gravity, settles to the bottom of the gasometer, and enters the receptacle through the perforated plate, wire-gauze, or rods. One or more discharge orifices are made in the bottom D, as shown in the several figures, to communicate with o ne or more Siphon-tubes, S, to serve to convey the tar or condensed material into a suitable receptacle, and said tube or tubes being always filled, a liquid seal is formed for preventing the admission of the external atmosphere into the gasometer.

Instead of forming the top or head of the gasometer. of a solid or rigid plate of metal, it may be made ofl a skeletonshape, as shown in Fig. 3,' and have attached to itatlexible covering, T, applied to its under or upper side, and clamped between the bands and edge of This construction of head, while being perfectly gas and air tight, possesses the advantage of being non-corrosive, and of imparting a uniform pressure upon the gas whendescending. From the above description it will be seen vpreventing.; such a result.

that the gas, upon its entrance into the gasometer, distends or expands the same, producin g a perfectly plane and true form of thev desired shape, and when discharged through/ the pipe U, extending to the burners, the descent of the gasometer will be uniform, withyout any tendency to an inward or outward displacement, the guide-loops moving on the vertical stems, or the inside hoops or bands The lower diaphra gm or rods will prevent the flexible curtain when collapsed from coming incontact with the condensed substance or material' collected in the concave bottom, which would necessarily be caused`to adhere to the fabric, if no such provision were made.

A suitable counterbalance mechanism is connected with the gasometerbody at the proper time for assisting the pressure ot' gas in returning the same to its distended or eX- panded state, and thus preventing too great a pressure upon the flexible body.

I do not desire to restrict myself to the form of receiving-frame represented in the drawing, as the same may be made solid, or with closed sides, or a simple series of rods may constitute the sides of the frame.

I claim as my inventionl. The stationary bottom D and movable crown or head L of a-gasometer, connected together by afliexible curtain orA body, K, said curtain being guided in its vertical movement by loops or eyes Q, traveling on guide-stems' P, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. H

2. The flexible body K of the gasometer, secured to the bottom D and movable head L by clamping bands or rings M, vsubstantially as shown and described. y

'3. The bottom D of a gasometer made concave o r corrugated for the reception of condensed material or substance, as described.

4. A screen or false bottom, arranged and supported at or near-the bottom of a gasometer, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a concave or corrugated bottom, D, ofthe diaphragm or false bottom It, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. One or more siphon or discharge tubes, S, combned with the bottom D of a gasometer, for the purpose specified. .yf/"

7. The movable crown or top L of the gasometer, consisting of a skeleton metallic head and afle'xible covering attached to the' saine, substantially as and for the purpose described. I:

8. 'One or more hoops or bands connected with the flexiblecurtain of a gasometer, for

the purpose specified.

In testimony that -I'claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day'of January, 1873. l i J OSEPHC. TIFFANY. Witnesses: V

J AMES L. Nonms,' ALBERTA H. Nours. 

